Peter Martin and Tim Colebatch on budget strategy and numbers
- Written by: Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
From inside the budget lockup, The Conversation’s Business and Economics editor Peter Martin and political and economic journalist Tim Colebatch from Inside Story shared their reactions to the pre-election budget.
Martin said the budget featured a substantial tax cut “that goes back in time” and that while the government was forecasting “good times around the corner,” there has been barely any sign of them.
He also said he thought while the budget gives Labor an advantage, Treasurer Josh Frydenberg is unlikely to be embarrassed by it in the future.
Colebatch told The Conversation it “was a modest budget” and that the spending measures were “really fairly restrained”.
“It recognises that the debate has shifted and people are less likely to be bought by big spending and more likely to be bought by the impression of fiscal reticence and control and delivering a budget surplus,” he said.
New to podcasts?
Podcasts are often best enjoyed using a podcast app. All iPhones come with the Apple Podcasts app already installed, or you may want to listen and subscribe on another app such as Pocket Casts (click here to listen to Politics with Michelle Grattan on Pocket Casts).
You can also hear it on Stitcher, Spotify or any of the apps below. Just pick a service from one of those listed below and click on the icon to find Politics with Michelle Grattan.
Additional audio
A List of Ways to Die, Lee Rosevere, from Free Music Archive.
Image:
Mick Tsikas(AAP)/The Conversation/Shutterstock
Authors: Michelle Grattan, Professorial Fellow, University of Canberra
Daily Bulletin
